“The run is more stable than it has been due to a lot of hard work by a few conservation-minded sportsmen, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District and the DFG, but a lot more work needs to be done,” Geoff Malloway, owner of Central Coast Fly Fishing, said of his home water.
The Carmel may be the best fly fishing stretch of “The Big Three,” which is good news given the river is an artificial-only water. Typical steelhead flies will work here during a good run. Try Wiggle Warts, Hot Shots, Kastmasters, Glo Bugs and Kwikfish if you’re not into fly fishing.
Access is best at Garland Park, Carmel River State Beach and most of the bridges that cross the river up to Rosie’s Bridge.
“This river has some very good fly fishing water that permits traditional casting,” Malloway concludes. “… Keep in mind that a lot of the fishable water is brushy, so drifting with a floating line is difficult if not impossible. Sink-tip lines are popular, but a floating line with a long leader and a bead-head nymph or an egg pattern can be deadly in the hands of experienced fly fishers.”
Be sure to check current DFG rules and regulations when fishing for steelhead in Central California.
